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Home / Whanganui Chronicle

This way to Whellington... wait... where?

Whanganui Chronicle
16 Oct, 2018 12:39 AM2 mins to read

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Let's got to... Whellington? Photo/ Bevan Conley

Let's got to... Whellington? Photo/ Bevan Conley

While the letter 'h' is now firmly part of the spelling of our wonderful city and district someone has taking matter a tad further in the name of humour.

A cheeky sign has been placed at the Anzac Parade end of the City Bridge directing motorists to Whellington which can only be assumed to be our capital city commonly known as Wellington.

We all know the story.

In 2015 the letter 'h' was officially added to the spelling of the district to correct Wanganui to the original Māori spelling - Whanganui.

That spelling was first given to the Whanganui River in 1991, while in 2009 the Geographic Board said either "Whanganui" or "Wanganui" were acceptable for the town, though government agencies were expected to use Whanganui.

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Whanganui District Council changed soon after the district's name was officially changed in 2015 and many organisations have followed suit.

And in September thsi year, the Whanganui Chronicle, New Zealand's oldest daily newspaper, added the 'h' to its name after 162 years as the Wanganui Chronicle.

But don't expect Whellington to become official anytime soon.

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That city was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, which in turn comes from the town of Wellington in Somerset, England.

As far as we know that is still correct.

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